Vacuum cleaner



June 3, 1941. w. c. SCHOTZ VACUUM CLEANER Original Fi led Aug. 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 R a M M INVEN m" G.

.June 3, 1941. w. c. scHoTz VACUUM CLEANER Original Filed Au'g. '7, .1936

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m N E M WY HE W Y Patented June 3, 1941.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OF

FlCE

VACUUM CLEANER Walter 0. Schotz, Seattle, Wash.

Application August '1, rise, Serial No. 94,786 Renewed January 17, 1940 4 Claims.

dust deflector and retainer for use as an attachment with the dust bag.

Figure 5 is an inverted perspective view of the machine with the bottom plate removed, showing the relation of the front deflector and guard of my invention to-the machine, and Figure 6 is untidy and ineflicient due to the fact that dust and dirt are liable'to accumulate in the interior parts of the machine, due to the faulty arrangements for guidingand conveying all of the collected dust to the dust bag. After the motor has been switched off and the fan ceases to operate efliciently, some dust and dirt are caught in corners, pockets, niches, and other parts of the interior of the machine, and frequently some of the dust, failing to reach the dust bag, is returned to the interior of the machine. Under these conditions, when the cleaning operation is finished and the machine is being hauled over the floor, or carried, the retained dust falls through the intake or suction nozzle and creates an undesirable untidy condition.

In carrying out my invention, I insert at both the intake and exhaust ends of the machines, means, in the nature of deflecting hoods and guards for guiding the stream of dust, and retaining guards for preventing backward movement of the dust, in order that the dust-stream may be maintained, against separation therefrom of particles or dust, as the stream is conveyed through the suction chamber, the dust passage, and the. exhaust opening. In this manner, all of the dust gathered by suction, is conveyed to the dust bag, and therefore no dust remains in the interior of the machine to be spilled therefrom, after cleaning operations.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In

the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a well known type of vacuum cleaner in which my improvements have been embodied according to one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in these exemplifying structures within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, with parts in section, of a vacuum cleaner equipped with the improvements of my invention. a

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view at the rear of the machine showing the attaching means for the dust bag. and Figure3 is a detail perspective view of the intake end or mouth of the dust bag.

- Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the rear a similar view of the machine with the front deflector and guard removed.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the bottom plate detached from the machine.

Figure 8 is a perspective view, inverted, of the front deflecting hood and guard, detached from the machine.

In order that the general arrangement, relation of parts, and utility of the improvements of my invention may readily be understood I have illustrated a well known type of vacuum cleaner mounted on the carrier wheels W and caster wheel C and provided with the usual handle D. The angular housing H is provided with the usual latched, and detachable bottom plate P, and the motor is enclosed within the motor casing M for operation of the suction fan F which is located in the interior fan casing F, and the pulley P' of the motor drives the rotary agitator A, through the belt drive A.

The agitator, or a brush in some instances, is mounted in the suction chamber at the front of the housing H and the intake nozzle to the suction chamber is defined by the rear flange I and the front flange la, the former on the bottom plate P and the latter on the lower front edge of the housing. The flange la it will be seen extends transversely of the machine and at its upper edge it forms a shoulder which I utilize in locating the front deflecting hood and guard 2. This defiectinghood and guard, as best seen in inverted position in Figure-8, is preferably fashioned of resilient sheet metal of semi-cylindrical shape and has a lower front edge 3 which fits neatly on the shoulder formed by the upper edge of the flange la. This hood is inserted into the suction chamber within the hood H after the bottom plate P has been removed for that purpose, and if necessary, the agitator A may also be removed to facilitate insertion of the hood within the suction chamber. The rear edge 6, 4

of the deflecting hood 2, rests against the partition H and upon the upper face of the nozzle flange I of the bottom plate, after the latter has been secured in position, and the open ends of the semi-cylindrical hood are closed-by the side walls of the housing at the opposite ends of the suction chamber.

As best seen in Figure 8, the rear wall of the hood is slitted. to form an integral tongue 5, which is turned upwardly and outwardly from the wall of the hood, and the free end of this tongue is slipped under the lower front face F of the fan casin8-- As thus described, the hood,

of resilient metal is readily aflixed in position in the interior of the suction chamber, partly enclosing the agitator, or a brush, as the case may be, and the hood is retained in its position by engagement of the front edge 3 with the shoulder of flange l a, and the engagement of the tongue 5 in frictional contact with the fan casing F. The front portion of the wall or the hood is curved to conform to the front of the housing and the. hood is further retained in place by the frictional contact between its front wall and the front wall of the housing. The tongue 5, intermediate the two rear wall sections 4, 4, of the hood projects into the dust passagethat the suction fan causes a stream or current of air to pass rearwardly from the suction chamher to the dust passage, carrying with it the dust collected through the nozzle, and the presence of the deflecting hood 2 insures that all of the collected dust is conveyed to and through the dust passage to the rear, exhaust passage 3 of the machine, and to the exhaust opening or exit 8.

As indicated in Figure 2 the exhaust opening 8 is fashioned in the flat, upright, attaching flange 9 integral or rigid with the machine, and this flange is provided with the usual attaching bolts l8 and nuts H.

In combination with this attaching flange I utilize a combined deflector and retainer or guard, which is introduced between the detachable bag Bend the attaching flange 9. The

combined deflecting and retaining guard is fash ioned as a circular plate or gasket l2, having side hooks l3 that are adapted to slip over the complementary bolts HI, ID, of the attaching flange. and this flat plate, as best seen in Figure 4 is fashioned with an opening. or mouth H to provide for-communication between the rear exhaust passage 7 and the dust bag.

An angular deflecting plate I5 is welded, soidered, or otherwise securely aiflxed to the plate l2, and as indicated this angular or inclined plate projects at the front of the gasket l2 down into therear end of the exhaust passage. The upper end of this deflecting plate and the lower edge of the opening M, it will be observed, are elevated above the bottom of the passage 1 and therefore the dust stream is deflected upwardly and passes to the dust bag through the upper portion of the outlet opening above the ledge 15' that is formed by the gasket i2 below its mouth H.

The dust bag B is fashioned with the usual attaching ring 15, and attaching hooks H, the

latter to fit over the attaching bolts Ill, and the whole assembly-including the gasket I2, is rigidly secured in airtightmanner by the nuts as H. Thus asecure joint is made in attachment ofthe dust bag to the machine, and the dust entering the bag, deflected and guided upwardly by the deflecting plate 15, falls into the bag, below the retaining ledge l5, and this ledge, it will be apparent prevents return of dust through the opening Hi to the exhaust passage 1, as long as the dust bag is supported in usual position for the reception of the collected dust.

The deflecting plate l5 flts snugly and neatly in the rear end of the exhaust passage 1, with its front edge in close contact with the bottom of the passage, and to insure a close, tight fit against the bottom of the passage, the plate I5 may be of resilient or elastic metal or other material; The gasket I2 may, or may not be removed, as is desirable, when the dust bag is being detached for emptying, but in some instances the frictional engagement of the resillent plate 15 with the interior walls of the passage is cient to hold the gasket in place on the bolts 10 when the dust bag is detached. When the bag is again attached and secured in position, of course the gasket is firmly and securely mounted in its proper position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner having a front housing and a shoulder in the front lower edge thereof, front and rear flanges spaced to form a nozzle and a dust passage leading from the interior of the housing, the combination therewith 'of a semi-cylindrical, open-end hood having a front edge supported on said shoulder and its rear edge supported on the rear nozzle-flange, said hood having spaced slits extending transversely thereof, the portion intermediate said slits forming an integral deflecting flange projecting into the entrance to said passage, and the free edge of said deflecting flange beingin frictional contact with the upper wall of the passage.

2. In a vacuum cleaner the combination with a housing having a brush chamber and a spaced fan chamber, of a semi-cylindrical dust hood seated in the brush chamber and having front and rear walls, means forming an air passage between the brush and the fan, and the rear wall of said hood having a central deformed portion extending laterally therefrom and having an inner face which with the hood form: a compound curve presenting a smooth, non angular, unobstructed roof for the air passage.

3. In a vacuum cleaner having a front housing and a dust passage leading therefrom to a fan chamber in a plane below said front housing, the combination with a hood having means for frictional engagement with the interior walls of the housing and said hood having a concave, tangentially disposed, deflecting plate extending into the upper portion of the dust passage and forming an air-ramp between the housing and the chamber.

4. In a vacuum cleaner having a front housing and a fan chamber in a plane below the front housing, and a dust passage connecting said housing and chamber, of a hood adapted for seating in the housing, and means on said hood forming an air-ramp in the dust passage between the housing and the chamber.

C.- SCHOTZ. 

